Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-27

Aunt Martina, WHO udu 1otictHltE VI
the old Puritan stubbornness Of her
ancestors in her veins, backed up by
the Fielding pride, had very little to
do with any Of her relatives; therefore
il was not at all to be wondered at
that Ruth and her mother were some
what surprised when aunt Martha
letter came.
II want you to come and make me
a visit. she wrote. Come and stay
a month, if you can stand it as long as
that with me. | am a lonely old
woman, in lonely old house, and |
presume YOU will get homesick before
YOU have been here two days; but if you
do, why YOU can take the first train for
home, YOU know. There will be no
compulsion about your staying. Twill
try to make it pleasant for you, but l
presume | have forgotten how to do it.
/ shall expect you to come if you can
not stay, so do not disappoint me.
Spend no time in getting ready. We
don't care much about what you call
STYLE here. and fine clothes would be
wasted"
Il wonder if she thinks hay e money
to waste on fine clothes2" laughed
Ruth. If she does, it shows how little
she knows about her relatives. Shall
20, mother?'
II think YOU had BETTER" answered
Mrs. Gerrish, "Shc must be very
lonely, and a visit from You will
brighten her life a little"
II can't see what she wants me to
come for said Ruth. Il haven't seen
her since was wee chit of girl.
| wonder why she did not send for
one of Aunt Lucy's daughters? They
visited her last summer, you know"
Il presume she has some plan in her
head, answered Mrs Gerrish. "She
generally has when she invites any of
her relatives to visit her. She did not
invite Lucy's girls to come and see her
last summer, and | presume she was
offended because they came uuinyited.
So Ruth went to visit Aunt Martha.
and was welcomed to the old Fielding
homestead in grimly hospita5le
fashion.
'I'm glad You thought it worth while
to humor the within of an old woman,
she said. Il could have had one of
Lucy's girls-or all Of them for that
matter, She added with grim smile,
IF had wanted them; but | didn't
They were too good, when they were
here last summer to my face, that IS.
/ know how they called me a horrid old
thing behind my back; but l didn'tcare
much about that. But | don't think
YOU are like them. You don't look like
them, anyway and your mother never
seemed ut all like Lucy
Ruth soon soon found out why Aunt
Martha had asked her to visit her. \
nephew was coming to visit her also
and she had planned a marriage for
them.
Railways liked you, Aunt Martha
said, i'm one of her confidential moods,
land though J haven't seen much Of
YOU, I've heard a good deal about you.
You've been good to your mother
Lucys girls are willing their mother
should Slave herself to death to get
them finery and fol-de-rols. They
want to wear nice dresses and have a
good time, and that's all they care
about You're too sensible for that
Youth suit John, know"
Ruth dreaded to tell her aunt the
truth. but she felt as if she ought to do
SO at once
Aunt Martha. she said, with a
little catch for her breath, for she was
afraid the old lady would be terribly
offended at the failure of her plans,
Il m engaged to be married.
Then, the worst being over, she
went on to tell her aunt all about it,
succeeded in making her lover a great
hero in her own estimation, If not in
Aunt Martha's.
80 you're going to marry a man
with one arm, and as poor as poverty?
she said ggimly.
Yes. if nothing happens to prevent
it" answered Ruth. I've love each
other, and wen get along in some
way. said Ruth bravely. Loves
better than all the wealth in the world,
think, and SO does Rodney
"Humphl' said Aunt Martha; and
there the conversation ended.
John came He and Ruth were the
best Of friends at once.
Aunt Martha saw it, and hoped her
plans might vet be made to work.
She waited two or three weeks before
telling John what she had set her heart
upon bringing to pass.
When she told him, he listened in
silence, with peculiar twinkle in his
blue eyes, and She felt quite sure that
his silence meant consent.
That afternoon when Ruth walked
down the orchard-path with john, he
told her what Aunt Martha had said to
him that morning.
Il didn't tell her ID was ont of the
Question. because | was already en-
Gagged to be married, he said: "Dnt
don't mind telling you so. because /
aavea dim sort Of an idea that YOU are
/ I'm the same boat, as they say. Would
Won like to look at my girls picture2'
Ruth looked at tho picture of Ibis
girl. and then repaid his confidence
/ by telling him about Rodney
Auut Martha seemed to give up her
pct project She never mentioned Il
I il Ruth agaiu. When She went home
tAe old woman kissed her, after the
same grim fashion of her welcome,
land told her she should expect 10 have
Her rpoeat the visit next summer ii
s..